Healthy chocolate enriched with probiotics: a review

Abstract Benefits associated with consumption of probiotics and prebiotics are well known and many clinical studies have proven their positive impact on human health. The industrial interest in the usage of probiotics along with prebiotics in new food and pharmaceutical products is gradually increasing. However, the probiotic viability and stability during processing, storage as well as under adverse conditions during the gastrointestinal digestion are the significant challenges in probiotic products development. Chocolates are one of the most appealing products among the majority of people and may serve as a suitable carrier for probiotic delivery to the human gut. In addition, chocolate possess a wide range of potent antioxidants and other nutrients that can positively affect human health. Since there is an increasing demand for novel probiotic products, this review will examine the chocolates as a source of prebiotics, a carrier for already encapsulated probiotics and its possible industrial applications.